Geared adjustment means



Aug. 31, 1948. H. M. BARBER GEARED ADJUSTMENT MEANS Filed oct. 22, 1943 3 Sheecs-Sheei'l 1 Aug. 31, 1948. H. M. BARBER 2,448,292

GEARED ADJUSTMENT MEANS Filed oct. 22,1945 s sheets-sheet 2 Y f6 W4.

s s 62 INVENToR.

Aug. 31, 1948.

H. M. BARBER GEARED ADJUSTMENT MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 001,. 22, 1943 INVENTOR. MMM BY Patented Aug. 31, 1948 UNl'l... ED i ,STA'lES JQ-FFLICE vGEARED ADJUSTMENT vMEANS 'HowardM.-Barber, Pawcatuok, Conn., assigner to 00B. Cottrell .,& Sonslompanm.y Westerly,

. R. I., acorporation of Delaware Application October 22, 1943, SerialNo. 50?;232

- l 6.01aims.

' Myv 'invention provides -novel, accuratev and much'simplied mean-sier independently adjustyingthe printing cylinders 4of a printingpress, particularly the'design vcylinders of an intaglio printing press, rotatively andin an endwise direction', to bring each printing cylinderinto proper color register with respectto the printingcylinder of the 'rst printing unit 'of the press, said means being iopera'blewhile'the press is running or at rest.

My invention more particularly includes both manuallyand automaticallyoperated means for bringing each printing cylinder'into circumferential register with the first printing cylinder ofthe'press and it also includes manually operated means for bringing the printing cylinder into 4endwise register.

A`The object orY my invention is to provide novel means whereby the main' drive shaft of the press is so connected to each of the printing cylinder shafts as to eliminate a considerable amount of gearing and the backlash thereof.

' A practical embodiment of my invention including both manually and automaticallyr operated means for adjustingthe printing cylinder rotatively, and manually operated means for adjusting the printing cylinder in an endwisedirection into proper color register is represented in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a diagrammatic endelevation ofthe first and second ,color printing units of a multi-color intaglio printing press showing eertain of the cooperative elements'oi the electrically ,operated means for automatically bringing the printing'cylinder of] the second printing unit into color register with'the printing cylinder of the inst-printing unit; f

lFig, 2 represents a detail diagrammatic side viewof the printing cylinder and the traveling web showing register marks on the web and the slotted scanning disc on the printing cylinder;

Figi 3 representsk a diagrammatic end View showing 'the register control reversible motor and its operative ,connection with the adjustingshaft, `which-is also manually operated, for adjusting the printing cylinder rotatively;

Fig.I 4'n represents a1 detailv View showing in side elevation yboth the manually and the 'automaticallyoperated -meansfor adjusting a printing cylinder (in the present instancethe print ingcylinder ofv the second printing unit) rotatively, and inendlelevation the manuallyopen 4at'edimeansior adjusting the printingv cylinder in anendwise direction;

fFig: 5y represents a horizontal section taken in the vplane ofy the Aline-'V-V ofFig. 4, leok'ingein: the

direction ofx thev arrows;

'inthe plane of the line VIII- VIII of Fig.` 4,

looking in the direction fof the arrows;

Fig. 9 represents a detail section takeningthe planeof the line IXQIX of Fig. 4, 1ooking toward theleft;

Fig. 10 represents` a similar.. sectionglpoking toward the right;

Fig. `11 representsan end viewvoitheadiustilig collar;

Fig. l2represents avsection-taken in the plane of the line. XII- .XII of Fig. 11,l0okng inthe direction ofthe arrows; and

` Figlarepresents a detail side rView of themain press drive shaft `showing ther-ight and .left hand gears forming parts of the'means `forrotatively adjusting the printing .cylinder withrespect to the drive shaft.

The printing cylinder` i@ is yprovidedrwithl a shaft 2 which isv mounted Yfor rotary andfendtvise movement in sidev members Aof the; main printing l press frame 3, one side Amemberonly being;sho.wn

' main-press drive shaft. 4 and .it .is :rotatively mounted independently of the drive -shaft'in suitable `bearings lll, l i` inr the.member tl2. projecting from the adjacent side of they pressirame'. This hypoidpinion 5 is drivenfrom themaindrive yshaft 4 Iof' the press as=follows: theouterzendio the hub 8 is spirally threaded externally as shown at -I3 at a predeterminedangle, inthe present instance` about tenf degrees; -in onel direction. A

Icollar I4' keyed tothe main driveshaft 4.adjacent .tothe hub 8 rofthe hypoid pinion 9-is spirally threaded externally asshown at I-5-at the'sarne vangle inthe opposite direction.

Anrendwise movable sleeve Iizsurrounds poras shown at l1 and I8 with the same=angu1arity which they mesh and serve to lock the drive shaft 4 to the said hub 8 of the hypoid pinion 9.

The shaft 2 of the cylinder I is at right angles to and is driven by the main drive shaft 4 as follows: the hypoid pinion 9 meshes with a hypoid gear I9 fast on a hollow cross shaft 20 mounted in suitable bearings 2| and 22 in members 23 and 24 of the auxiliary frame 1, which hollow cross shaft is in axial alinement with the printing cylinder shaft 2. This shaft 20 is provided with a head 25 which is slidably locked to the coupling 28 on the printing cylinder shaft 2, in the present instance by the internal and external straight toothed gears 26, 21.

This head 25 is shown as locked to the hollow shaft 26 by the internal and external gears 29, 30, the external gear 36 being fastened by screws 3| to the said shaft 26.

The manually operated means for adjusting the printing cylinder I rotatively, whether the press is running or at rest, to bring the form cylinder into circumferential color register is shown as comprising the following elements: a ring 32 is mounted in suitable bearings 33, 34 on the endwise movable sleeve I between a flange 35 and one or more nuts 36 threaded on the sleeve. This ring 32 has a circumferential groove 31 for receiving the studs or rollers 38 carried by the branches 39 of a sleeve shifting yoke 46 which is pivoted at its lower end on the bar 4| carried by suitable members of the auxiliary press frame 1. The upper end of the yoke 49 is pivoted to a traveling nut 42 mounted on the threaded portion of a shaft 43 rotatably mounted at its ends inl suitable bearings 44, 45 in members of the auxiliary frame 1. This shaft 43 is provided outside of the said auxiliary frame with a suitable hand wheel 46 for rotating the shaft in either direction, to move the nut thereon. Adjusting stops 41, 48 are threaded on the shaft 43 in position to limit the throw of the nut and thereby the yoke 49.

The manually operated means for adjusting the printing cylinder in an endwise direction, while the press is running or at rest, to bring the printing cylinder into proper lateral register, is shown as comprising the following elements: a shaft 49 extends axially through the hollow shaft 2l) from the coupling 28 which is clamped on the printing cylinder shaft 2, to a yoke 56 in which the shaft 49 is rotatably mounted by suitable bearings, 5|. Nuts 52, 53 threaded on the opposite ends of the shaft 49 serve to hold the shaft locked to the coupling 28 and yoke 56.

Two screw shafts 54, 55 are rotatably mounted in a member 56 of the auxiliary press frame 1 and they are threaded into the yoke 56 upon opposite sides of thev shaft 49. These screw shafts are connected to turn together, as, for instance, by

sprockets 51, 58 and their sprocket chain 59. One of these screw shafts, in the present instance the screw shaft 54 is provided with a hand wheel 60 for manually operating the yoke 5| to move the shaft 49 and thereby the printing cylinder endwise in either direction.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 there is illustrated in diagram a typical photoelectric means for automatically adjusting the printing cylinder rotatively to correct circumferential misregister of the printing cylinder with the traveling web. In these diagrams the reversing pilot motor 6| is operatively connected to the adjusting shaft 43 through the sprocket 62 on the motor shaft, the sprocket 63 on the adjusting shaft and their connecting sprocket chain 64.

The traveling web 65 is provided along the of scanning head 1| and the phototube 12 of the printingV cylinder scanning unit are controlled by the slotl 68 of the scanning disc 61.

The-scanning `head 69 and the phototube 10 -of theweb scanning unit are controlled by the register vmarks 66 on the traveling web, and the scanning head 1| and the phototube 12 of the printing cylinder scanning unit are controlled by the slots 68 in the scanning disc 61.

The main circuit wires 13, 14 lead to the pilot motor thyratrons represented conventionally at 15. The circuit wires 16, 11 connect the pilot motor thyratrons 15 With the pilot reversing motor 6| and the grid circuit wires 18, 19 connect the pilot motor thyratrons 15 with the impulse comparator mixing panel represented conventionally at 80. The circuit wires 8| and 82 connect their respective phototubes 10 and 12 with the impulse comparator mixing panel 89.

The operation of the automatic web register control is as follows: detection of misregister is accomplished by comparing photoelectrically the instantaneous positions of the initial impression on the web with the mechanical position of the printing cylinders of the successive printing units. This is accomplished by matching regularly spaced Voltage pulses or signals from the two scanning units, i. e., the web scanning unit and the printing cylinder scanning unit, the web scanning unit being actuated by the register marks 66 printed simultaneously on the web with the rst impression, and the cylinder scanning unit being actuated by the equally spaced slots 68 in the cylinder scanning disc 61.

Correction for misregister is accomplished through each reversing pilot motor 6| which actuates its adjusting .shaft 43 in either direction.

The direction of correction as well as the rate of correction is determined by the timed relation of the two signals received at the mixing panel 80, where they are compared and a resultant signal is relayed to the thyratrons 15 that energize the said pilot motor.

It will be understood that should the web signal `come ahead of the printing cylinder signal the pilot motor is rotated to advance the angular position of the cylinder. Conversely if the web signal is later than the printing. cylinder signal the pilot motor will move the cylinder a proper amount in the opposite direction. Should the signals happen simultaneously this would indicate a correct position for longitudinal register of the web and no corrective movement takes place.

From the above description it will be seen that by using hypoid gears for operatively connecting the press drive shaft with the impression cylinder shaft these two shafts which are located at right angles to each other in diiferent horizontal planes may be located very close to each other and thereby eliminate a considerable amount of gearing and backlash consequent thereto.

It will also be Seen that-very simple and effective manually and automatically operated means may be employed for obtaining the circumferential register of the printing cylinder and that simple and effective manually operated means may also be employed for obtaining the endwise or lateral register of the printing cylinder.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the `particular embodiment herein shown and described, but what I claim is:

1. In combination, a rotary cylinder, its shaft, an auxiliary drive shaft axially aligned therewith and slidably locked thereto, a main drive shaft located adjacent and at right angles to the auxiliary drive shaft, two intermeshing hypoid gears, one on said main drive shaft .and the other on said auxiliary drive shaft, and automatically operated means for rotatively adjusting the drive shaft hypoid gear and thereby the auxiliary drive shaft hypoid gear with respect to the main drive shaft, to rotatively adjust the said cylinder.

2. In combination, a rotary cylinder, its shaft, an auxiliary drive shaft axially aligned therewith and slidably locked thereto, a main drive shaft located adjacent and at right angles to the auxiliary drive shaft, two intermeshing hypoid gears, one on said main drive shaft and the other on said auxiliary drive shaft, and both manually and automatically operated means for rotatively adjusting the drive shaft hypoid gear and thereby the auinliary drive shaft hypoid gear with respect to the main drive shaft, to rotatively adjust the said cylinder.

3. In combination, a rotary cylinder, its shaft, an auxiliary drive shaft axially aligned therewith and slidably locked thereto, a main drive shaft located adjacent and at right angles to the auxiliary drive shaft, a hub loosely mounted on the main drive shaft, two intermeshing hypoid gears, one on the said auxiliary drive shaft and the other on said hub, and means for rotatively adjusting the hub hypoid gear and thereby the auxiliary shaft hypoid gear with respect to the main drive shaft, to rotatively adjust the said cylinder, said means including oppositely inclined external spirally threaded portions on the hub and the main drive shaft respectively, a shiftable sleeve having oppositely inclined internal spirally threaded portions meshing with their respective spirally threaded portions on the hub, a sleeve shaft yoke, and a screw-threaded shaft engaging said yoke.

4. In combination, a rotary cylinder, its shaft, an auxiliary drive shaft axially aligned therewith and slidably locked thereto, a main drive shaft located adjacent and at right angles to the auxiliary drive shaft, a hub loosely mounted onthe main drive shaft, a collar fixed to the main drive shaft adjacent the hub, two intermeshing hypoid gears, one lon said auxiliary drive shaft and the other on said hub, and means for rotatively adjusting the hub hypoid gear and thereby the auxiliary drive shaft hypoid gear with respect to the main drive shaft, to rotatively adjust the said cylinder, said means including oppositely inclined external spirally threaded portions on the hub and collar respectively and a shiftable sleeve having oppositely inclined internal spirally threaded portions meshing with their respective spirally threaded portions on the hub and collar.

5. In combination, a rotary cylinder, its shaft, a hollow auxiliary drive shaft axially alined therewith and slidably locked thereto, a horizontally disposed main drive shaft, two intermeshing gears, one on said main drive shaft and the other on said auxiliary drive shaft, and means for adjusting the rotary cylinder endwise to obtain its lateral register, said means including an endwise movable shaft extending axially from the rotary cylinder shaft through the said hollow auxiliary shaft, and a manually operated adjusting screw for moving said endwise movable shaft.

6. In combination, a rotary cylinder, its shaft, a hollow auxiliary drive shaft axially alined therewith and slidably locked thereto, a horizontally disposed main drive shaft located adjacent and at right angles to the auxiliary shaft, two intermeshing hypoid gears, yone on said main drive shaft and the other on said auxiliary drive shaft, and means for adjusting the rotary cylinder endwise to obtain its lateral register, said means including an endwise movable shaft extending axially from the rotary cylinder shaft through the said hollow auxiliary drive shaft and a manually operated adjusting screw for moving said endwise movable shaft.

HOWARD M. BARBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,007,097 Gulick Oct. 31, 1911 1,209,884 Rakowsky Dec. 26, 1916 1,240,069 McCallister Sept. 11, 1917 1,245,168 Wright Nov. 6, 1917 1,745,767 Barber Feb. 4, 1930 1,745,769 Barber Feb. 4, 1930 2,002,584 Rawson May 28, 1935 2,030,028 Greenwood Feb. 4, 1936 2,110,272 Mayer Mar. 8, 1938 2,181,895 Huck Dec. 5, 1939 2,208,420 Gullickson July 16, 1940 2,250,209 Shoults et al July 22, 1941 2,341,202 Barber Feb. 8, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 178,082 Great Britain Jan. 4, 1923 515,617 Germany J'an. 9, 1931 

